The present invention is directed toward the field of notifications for a mobile communications device.
The mobile data communication device is preferably coupled to the host system via a wireless network and one or more landline networks. Due to the bandwidth limitations of wireless networks, only a portion of a user-selected data item is generally redirected to the user's mobile device, with the user given the option of then retrieving the entire data item (or some other portion of the data item) from the host system.
Instead of warehousing (or storing) the user's data items at the host system and then “synchronizing” the mobile data communication device to data items stored at the host system when the mobile device requests that such items of information be communicated to it, the present invention employs a “push” paradigm that continuously packages and retransmits the user-selected items of information to the mobile data communication device in response to a triggering event detected at the host system. Wireless mobile data communications devices, especially those that can return a confirmation signal to the host that the pushed data has been received are especially well suited for this type of push paradigm.
Present systems and methods for replicating information from a host system to a user's mobile data communication device are typically “synchronization” systems in which the user's data items are warehoused (or stored) at the host system for an indefinite period of time and then transmitted in bulk only in response to a user request. In these types of systems and methods, when replication of the warehoused data items to the mobile device is desired, the user typically places the mobile device in an interface cradle that is electrically connected to the host system via some form of local, dedicated communication, such as a serial cable or an infrared or other type of wireless link. Software executing on the mobile data communication device then transmits commands via the local communications link to the host system to cause the host to begin transmitting the user's data items for storage in a memory bank of the mobile device. In these synchronization schemes, the mobile unit “pulls” the warehoused information from the host system in a batch each time the user desires to replicate information between the two devices. Therefore, the two systems (host and mobile) only maintain the same data items after a user-initiated command sequence that causes the mobile device to download the data items from the host system. A general problem with these synchronization systems is that the only time that the user data items are replicated between the host system and the mobile data communication device is when the user commands the mobile device to download or pull the user data from the host system. Five minutes later a new message could be sent to the user, but the user would not receive that message until the next time the user fetches the user data items. Thus, a user may fail to respond to an emergency update or message because the user only periodically synchronizes the system, such as once per day. Other problems with these systems include: (1) the amount of data to be reconciled between the host and the mobile device can become large if the user does not “synchronize” on a daily or hourly basis, leading to bandwidth difficulties, particularly when the mobile device is communicating via a wireless packet-switched network; and (2) reconciling large amounts of data, as can accrue in these batch-mode synchronization systems, can require a great deal of communication between the host and the mobile device, thus leading to a more complex, costly and energy-inefficient system. A more automated, continuous, efficient and reliable system of ensuring that user data items are replicated at the user's mobile device is therefore needed.
The user's mobile device is in many instances removably stored in a holster that is detachably connected to the user's belt or other piece of clothing. Traditionally, upon the detection of a new data item, an audible signal and/or the vibration of the device is the form of notification provided to the user. Such traditional notification is problematic at best and do not provide the user any flexibility for rapid decision-making. A heavy user of the system and method for pushing information from a host to a mobile communication device disclosed herein is quickly overcome with persistent data item notification during the busiest time periods in a business day. After receiving a traditional notification, the user reaches for his mobile device in the holster to examine the displayed data item associated with the notification. Frequent traditional notifications can become annoying to a heavy user; thereby causing the user to switch off the audible and/or vibrate notifications all together.
Traditional mobile communication devices, which implement the system and method of pushing information from a host as described herein, also lack the facility of an assistant or secretary to screen pages, emails, voice mails, etc. that arrive at the mobile communication device. In many ways, more work is created for the user when using such a device because a form of wireless umbilical cord extends from the user's host system to the user via the mobile communication device without the facility of a secretary or assistant to manage and/or screen the notifications. The user cannot differentiate unimportant data item notifications from those data items that are relevant or very important without having to commit to the physical action of reviewing the display of the device. An additional feature of the present invention is that the push paradigm, in combination with a return communications pathway, lends itself well to a system that permits a user to control remotely, through the user's mobile device, a number of aspects of the host system.
There remains a general need in this art for a system and method of continuously pushing user-selected data items (or certain portions of the selected data items) stored at a host system to a user's mobile data communication device.
There remains a more particular need for such a system and method where user-selected data items are continuously “pushed” from the host system to the mobile data communication device upon the occurrence of one or more user-defined triggering events.
There remains an additional need for such a system and method that provides flexibility in the types and quantities of user data items that are pushed from the host system to the mobile data communication device and that also provides flexibility in the configuration and types of events that can serve to trigger the redirection of the user data items.
There remains yet an additional need for such a system and method that can operate locally on a user's desktop PC or at a distance via a network server.
There remains still another need for such a system and method that provides for secure, transparent delivery of the user-selected data items from the host system to the mobile device.
There remains still another need for such a system and method that provides for notification in a user-selectable manner of user-selectable data items arriving at the mobile device.
There remains yet another need for such a system and method that provides for notification of mobile-specific event occurrences such as, but not limited to calendar event reminders and unsuccessful transmission of user data items originating from the mobile device.
There also remains still another need for such a system and method that provides for notification of user-selected data items from the host system to the mobile device in a userselectable manner that allows the user of the mobile communication device the quick and hands-free ability to determine whether or not to act on a notification.
There also remains yet another need to integrate secretarial-like features into a mobile communication device using the system and method of pushing information from a host to a mobile communication device.